A “little big city” to discover!
Cárdenas: The Hoteliers' Village of Varadero
Cárdenas, officially known as San Juan de Díos de Cárdenas, is a charming village located near the famous resort of Varadero. In 2024, its population is estimated at around 90,000 inhabitants, showing a slight growth over the years.
This village is particularly known for being the place of residence of many employees of the hotels of Varadero. Its proximity to the beach and its infrastructures make it an ideal choice for those who work in the tourism industry.
Cárdenas combines a quiet atmosphere with easy access to the tourist attractions of Varadero, offering its residents and visitors a perfect blend of local life and beach leisure. In addition, the city is known for its rich cultural heritage, colorful streets and friendly atmosphere, making it a must-see destination for those who want to discover an authentic side of Cuba.
A bit of history and heritage
From Wikipedia:
"Cárdenas was founded on the 8th March 1828 and already had 12,910 inhabitants in 1861. In 1850 , ex-general Narciso López landed in Cárdenas at the head of 600 men, coming from the United States , in an attempt to liberate Cuba from Spanish domination. Lacking the support of the population when the fighting began, López had to re-embark after holding the city for a few hours. It was on this occasion that the 19 may 1850 , the future national flag of Cuba , invented the previous year by López.
The commissioning of a railway (Ferrocaril de Cárdenas y Jucaro) in 1871 , to transport sugar, accelerated its development. The city was the first in Cuba to set up a public electric lighting system, in 1889. On 11 may 1898 , during the Spanish-American War , the Battle of Cardenas Bay took place , after which a small American squadron had to withdraw without managing to destroy Spanish gunboats . It was one of the few American setbacks of the war.
At the beginning of the 20th century , Cárdenas was one of Cuba's main sugar export ports. In 1907 , the city's population reached 24,280 inhabitants. But the shallow depth of the port complicated the loading and unloading of ships. Cárdenas is only 20 km from the large Cuban seaside resort of Varadero and part of the population works there.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Museum and birthplace of Jose Antonio Echeverria: student leader assassinated on the 13th March 1957 by the Batista regime . The house is of architectural interest.
Oscar de Maria Rojas Museum: interesting collections in the fields of history, art, natural sciences, archaeology, numismatics and weapons from the colonial era.
Map of the city
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